GamesRadar E3 2011 Awards: Most Graphics

Show your retinas some love by pointing them toward these works of videogame art

Hey, videogames are a visual medium. Therefore, graphics are part of the package. How large a part they play is one of those things gamers will argue about for hours, withlots ofphrases like"graphics whore", "frames per second", "gameplay first", and "realism vs art" thrown about. We say don't overcomplicate things - we like pretty pictures, plain and simple. The question is, which one did we find the prettiest?

The Nominees:

Rayman Origins Gorgeous hand-drawn visuals make this one of those games you simply have to see in motion to believe. Stupidly lushhigh-res backgrounds burst with vibrant color as impossibly fluid characters jump, stomp, and fly through the world with the grace of Olympic figure skaters.Preview

El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron Designed by the lead artist on Okami, the look of El Shaddai seems almost like a stained-glass window come to life. But more important than the technology is the art design. Dream-like architecture andsweeping vistas are everywhere, and we've yet to see a level in which something, be it clouds or water or whatever, wasn't moving. The world of El Shaddai might not look like anything on Earth, but you can't say it doesn't look alive.Preview

Far Cry 3 We love good art design, but sometimes it's a game's sheer technological prowess that blows us away. Look closely at the screenshot above. You almost don't noticethe motion blur, the depth of field, the density of the jungle foliage or the way the dappled sunlighthits that vegetation.Why? Because you're distracted by the fact that Far Cry 3 is so realistic, you can actually see the crazy in this lunatic's eyes. This is why some folks buy $600 video cards - and why we don't blame them for it.Preview

Bastion The product of a dev team so small they could all ride to work together in a single SUV, Bastionis a labor of love. Andbecause whoever's in chargeof the "making the graphics" part of that love uses every color in the spectrum and turns the brightness up to neon, wefind ourselves captivated. The more you see Bastion, especially in motion, the more breathtaking it is.Preview

Rage Don't let Rage's bleak setting and muted color palette fool you. It's actually glorious in motion, moving at a silky smooth pace even on consoles. And you don't even notice a first how very solid all the textures look and how well lit the whole world seems to be. The game world in Rage may be sickly and struggling, but the game engine itself is alive and roaring.Preview

BloodRayne Betrayal Another game that still screens simply can't do justice, Betrayal somehow makes the title vampiress seem even more lithe and agile than before - probably something about the 4000 frames of animation the devs have given her. As a result, the entire game flows along as fluidly as the blood that seems to pour onto the screen every time Rayne sees another living creature. She's feisty.Preview

The Nominees:

Rayman Origins Gorgeous hand-drawn visuals make this one of those games you simply have to see in motion to believe. Stupidly lushhigh-res backgrounds burst with vibrant color as impossibly fluid characters jump, stomp, and fly through the world with the grace of Olympic figure skaters.Preview

El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron Designed by the lead artist on Okami, the look of El Shaddai seems almost like a stained-glass window come to life. But more important than the technology is the art design. Dream-like architecture andsweeping vistas are everywhere, and we've yet to see a level in which something, be it clouds or water or whatever, wasn't moving. The world of El Shaddai might not look like anything on Earth, but you can't say it doesn't look alive.Preview

Far Cry 3 We love good art design, but sometimes it's a game's sheer technological prowess that blows us away. Look closely at the screenshot above. You almost don't noticethe motion blur, the depth of field, the density of the jungle foliage or the way the dappled sunlighthits that vegetation.Why? Because you're distracted by the fact that Far Cry 3 is so realistic, you can actually see the crazy in this lunatic's eyes. This is why some folks buy $600 video cards - and why we don't blame them for it.Preview

Bastion The product of a dev team so small they could all ride to work together in a single SUV, Bastionis a labor of love. Andbecause whoever's in chargeof the "making the graphics" part of that love uses every color in the spectrum and turns the brightness up to neon, wefind ourselves captivated. The more you see Bastion, especially in motion, the more breathtaking it is.Preview

Rage Don't let Rage's bleak setting and muted color palette fool you. It's actually glorious in motion, moving at a silky smooth pace even on consoles. And you don't even notice a first how very solid all the textures look and how well lit the whole world seems to be. The game world in Rage may be sickly and struggling, but the game engine itself is alive and roaring.Preview

BloodRayne Betrayal Another game that still screens simply can't do justice, Betrayal somehow makes the title vampiress seem even more lithe and agile than before - probably something about the 4000 frames of animation the devs have given her. As a result, the entire game flows along as fluidly as the blood that seems to pour onto the screen every time Rayne sees another living creature. She's feisty.Preview